City manager post remains open in Greenville

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The city of Greenville continues to search for a city manager, after announcing in October it had narrowed the field to three candidates.

George Fletcher, member at-large of the Greenville City Council, said it is more important to get the right person than to get a person quickly.

“Nancy has done a great job through this process,” Fletcher said of Nancy Whitworth, who has served as interim city manager since last spring. “Having her in that role gives us more time to search deeper for a qualified candidate. We really appreciate what she’s done for us.”

Whitworth was Greenville’s deputy city manager and economic development director prior to becoming interim city manager.

“Finding the right person for the city is very important and we all want to take the time needed to fill the position and provide a good transition,” Whitworth said. “My entire career has been with the city and I am committed to helping in any way I can to ensure we keep the momentum and stability of our great city.”

Whitworth said she isn’t interested in a permanent role as city manager.

“The job, while challenging, is fast paced and thoroughly rewarding and impacts every aspect of the local community,” she said. “I cannot imagine anything more exciting than dealing directly with the issues of a forward-thinking city like Greenville.”

The city manager oversees all city staff and is responsible for managing the city’s day-to-day operations and implementing policies adopted by city council, according to a news release.

The last city manager, John Castile, stepped away from the job in May 2018 after eight years in the office. Whitworth has served as interim city manager since that time.

In October, the city announced it had narrowed its search to three candidates, from 77 applications. Fletcher said they were all qualified and capable candidates, but that during the final round of interviews the council decided to continue its search.

“This time we’re trying to be more strategic. Last time we advertised for the position nationally and mostly what we got were people looking for a job,” he said. The city used an agency out of Texas when it first opened the search for a city manager, according to Fletcher. Now the city is using the local employment agency Find Great People, or FPG, to conduct the search.

“The city manager is a complex job. We’re a city of 70,000 with amenities to take care of a larger area. With FPG we have an agency that has a better sense of the area,” Fletcher said.

“As with any city on the rise, we need to continue to deal with the challenges of growth such as infrastructure, housing affordability and transportation and we need a manager with experience addressing these issues for the benefit of all of our neighborhoods,” Greenville Mayor Knox White said in a news release.

Whitworth said the city manager has the opportunity to help guide the city’s future and “lead a talented team of committed employees.”

“The scale of what we do as a city is extensive and while we are experiencing exponential growth, the framework for success has been established, especially in the context of private and philanthropic partnerships,” she said.

Candidates are encouraged to apply by March 1. Electronic submittals are required. Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter of interest to Christin Mack at [email protected].